As the only organisation processing higher education applications, UCAS is uniquely positioned to find out why applicants make the decisions they do. Our 2010 Track Survey asked applicants:
Reasons for declining an institution can be personal or practical, but only Track Survey gives you a look at applicants' real thoughts. Some decline because they didn't enjoy the open day, want to be further from home, dislike the town, or even because their ex-partner is attending! Reasons for accepting have included comments on the friendliness of staff, the reputation of the local area and its social life, the atmosphere on an open day, or whether the applicant's partner also applied.
The answers provided by students give invaluable insight into what's important to them. The Track Survey report contains all of the responses relating to your institution, in a format that allows you to drill down from subject group, to line and course code. This can provide clear evidence in understanding what you're doing right, what you need to improve, and what makes your institution attractive or unattractive to applicants. You can discover:
To find out more about Track Survey and what it can offer you, contact Chris Harris on 01242 544746 or email c.harris@ucas.ac.uk